Match box



J. A. HEY

July l0, 1923.

MATCH BOX Filed Sept. 5. 1921 Patented .lluly lill, i923.

JOSEPH A. HEY, 0F DECATUR, LLINOIS.

MATCH BOX.

Application filed September 3, 1921. Serial No. 498,432.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it lrnown that l, JosnrI-I A. HEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match Boxes, of which the following is a speciiication.

The present invention relates to improvements in match boxes and has for its main object to provide an insert for an ordinary match box cover which insert is so constructed that only one match can be delivered at one time from the box. Another object is to provide automatic closing means for the box and also means for securely attaching the insert in the covering.

ln the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the invention is illustrated and Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my improved match box;

Fig. 2 a top plan view of the insert;

Fig. 3 a horizontal section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 a transverse section on the line l--t of Fig. 3.

The reference numeral 10 represents the cover of an ordinary safety match box and the reference numeral 11 the box proper which is enclosed in a casing 12. This casing consists of a fiat bottom 13 and two upright sides 14; and 15 which are flanged at their upper edge, as at 16, to engage with the side walls of the box 11. At one end of the casing 12 are provided two bent-back wings 17 on its upright walls, which wings engage the end of the cover 10 so as to firmly hold the cover and the casing together. At the same end of the casing, the bottom 13 has a lip 18 bent upwardly to prevent the box 11 from sliding out at'that end.

The box 11 has the same shape as an ordinary match box and consists of a flat bottom 20, two upright sides 21 and 22 and two end walls 23 and 24, the corners being united in any suitable manner, as by soldering or riveting. The bottom 20 is along one side thereof provided with a corrugation 25 running parallel to the adjacent side and providing a channel 26 between it and the side wall 22. The width of this channel 26 is slightly more than the cross section of a match so that no more than one match can be situated therein at one time. This corrugation forms a counter-groove on the under side of the bottom 2O in which a coiled spring 27 is housed in the length direction of the box. One end of this spring is attached to a small eyelet 28 secured in the bottom 13 of the casing 12, the other end of the spring being held by a similar eyelet 29 attached to the end wall 23 of the box` 11. lt will now be evident that the spring 27 tends to close the box, or, in other words, to draw the box inwards until its end wall 24 strikes against the lip 18.

ln the end wall 24 of the box is provided a small aperture 30 situated at the lower right hand bottom corner, as seen in Figure 1. rlhis aperture is slighty larger than the cross section of a match so that the latter may slip through the aperture. In the corrugation 25 is, furthermore, secured a spring 31 which protrudes slightly into the channel 26 at the same end of the box as the aperture 30. The function of this spring, which must be very light and for that reason it is long and narrow, is to partly cover the aperture 30 so that no matches may fall through the aperture when the box is carried in the pocket.

In the side wall 22 of the box 11 is provided a longitudinal slot 32 at the opposite end of the aperture 30 and close to the bottom of the channel 26. Into this channel protrudes a projection 33 through the slot 32. This projection may form part of the side 15 of the casing 12 or may be a knob attached thereto in any suitable manner. "The length of the box and the position of this projection 33 have been so selected that a match will comfortably rest between the projection 33 and the end of the spring 31. This projection 33 will serve the double purpose of a stop for limiting the travel of the box in the casing, and for pushing a match out of the box.

After removing the receptacle in an ordinary match box from its cover, the matches are placed in the box 11, preferably with the small ends upwards, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. The box 11 together with the easing 12 are thereupon pushed into the cover from the upper end, as seen in the same figures, until they are stopped by the lip 18 and the wing 17 respectively. The dimensions of the casing 12 are such that it will lit fairly tight in the cover 10 and prevent the casing from falling out of the cover.

The device is now operated in the following manner: The match box is preferably held in such a manner that the matches are sure to collect at the wall 22 of the box and that one of them will fall into the channel 26. By a slight push upon the end Wall 24'; of the box, the latter will be pushed out at the upper end, as seen in Figure 2, bringing all the matches with it in this movement with the exception of the one that at this time is positioned in the channel 26. As the projection 33 will obstruct its passage upward, the match is compelled to stay behind while the aperture 30 passes over it, and the spring 81 is pushed to one side. As soon as the pressure on the wall 2d is rey leased, the spring 27 will draw the box back into its assembled position in the casing and the pressure or the spring 31 against the side of a match will force the latter to partake inthe downward movement, as seen in Figures l and 2, of the box, so that when the box again reaches its closed position, the match will protrude through the aperture 30, `as shown in Figure l.

My improved match box may be manu actured of cardboard, wood or metal and in the latter case it might be preferable to stamp the parts out of a single sheet of metal.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedas new is:

1. A match receptacle comprising an open box, a casing and va cover; said box being provided with a channel along one side wall thereof, a longitudinal slot being provided in the side wall adjacent to said channel, said slot opening into said channel, a proj ection on the side wall of said casing reaching through said slot into said channel, the end wall at the opposite end of the box in respect to said projectie-n having an aperture, yieldablel means in said box adapted to partly close said aperture, a tension spring inserted in the length direction of the box between the bottom of said box and the bottom of said casing, and securing means for each end of said spring for attaching said ends to said box and said' casing respectively.

2. A match receptacle comprising van open box, a casing and a cover; said box being provided with a channel along one side wall thereof, a longitudinal slot being provided in the side wall adjacent to said channel, said slot opening into said channel, a proj ect-ion on the side wall of said casing reach` ing through said slot into said channel, the end wall at the opposite end of the box in respect to said projection having an aperture, yieldable means in said box adapted te partly close said aperture, a tension spring inserted in the length direction of the box between the bottom of said box and' the bot` toni o3t` said casing, securing means for each end of said spring for `attaching said ends to said box and said casing respectively, in-A terengaging members between said casing and said cover, and a stop on said casing for said box opposing the action ol' said spring.

In testimony whereof l aflix my signature.

JOSEPH A. HEY. [n s] 

